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Specialized
Rockhopper Comp FS
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Submitted by
Dave Q
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, Az
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | anything | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Super Pawn | | Strengths: | 1)Price, 2)quality, 3)components (some of them) | | Weaknesses: | The stock seat...the pawn shop guys don't keep air in the tires. | | Similar Products Used: | See my previous post | | Bike Setup: | Ritchey Logic tubing, Mavic 221 w/ LX hubs. Kona P2 fork, Specialized Alias saddle, XT levers with Ritchey cantis. Specialized cranks, 42 x 18: It's single speed baby! | | Bottom Line: | A great cruiser, what a sweet frame. Smooth and responsive. The Ritchey cantis are great stoppers. I've set it up as a "two-fer", so I can run it as 42 x 18 or 32 x 18 if I hit some hills | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, Az
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | lots o' different stuff | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$105.00 | | Purchased At: | Super Pawn | | Strengths: | Like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Couldn't beat the price...$100!!! Ritchey Nitanium tubing | | Weaknesses: | Didn't like the stock seat...the guys at the pawn shop couldn't figure how to put air in the tires. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale, Specialized, GT, Kona, Haro | | Bike Setup: | The bike was set up stock...STX front deraileur, Dia-Compe V-brakes and levers, cheap Specialized seat. It got better once I got to the Ritchey rims, and the LX rear deraileur. | | Bottom Line: | I replaced the brakes with AVID Ti brakes, as well as the seat (WTB). I swapped out the Jett fork for a rigid Kona P2 fork. The stock Specialized stem was replaced with a cool "SIC" stem. I just picked up some LX / Mavic rims, so will use the Ritchey wheels on my next project.
How can you beat this bike for $100? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hadley Movin'
a Cross Country Rider
from Riverview, New Brunswick
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Dobson Trail | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Bungay's | | Strengths: | Good frame, decent components. | | Weaknesses: | Front fork, resin pedals, older frame geometry. OEM flat bar was apparently recalled for premature failures, but I never had a problem in 6 years xc riding. | | Similar Products Used: | Norco rigid, Devinci Cactus, Jamis Dakar XC Comp. | | Bike Setup: | 1999 Marzocchi Z2 Atom Bomb, Avid SD7 V-brakes, Koolstop pads, XTR Brake Cables, Generic Brake Levers, 1664 BMX Pedals, Sun Ringle Evolution stem, Specialized XC 2014 Low Rise Bar, Louis Garneau Gel Grips, Nisene Fizik Seat, Shimano MC-37 Shifters & Cables, Alex 2000 Rear Wheel, Lizard Skin headset seal, Haro headset top cap. Derailleurs, bottom bracket, headset, chainrings, cassette and hubs are stock (STX-RC). | | Bottom Line: | I purchased this 20" 1994 Specialized Rockhopper Comp FS in 1998 for $250 (CDN). Used it mainly for daily commute, bike trails and some single track. Not a lot of miles (2000+), but the bike was basically stock until this year. Had maybe one tune up in 6 years and lots of neglect, plus I'm a clydesdale at 200 lbs. Overall a good, solid performer for light riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary,AB Canada
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Kananaskis | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Used | | Strengths: | Richie components : Nitanium frame (very comfortable), Rims.
Shimano XT/LX Components. | | Weaknesses: | Specialized components : Wheel Hubs, cranks, poor seat (but still better than a Coda seat). V-Brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale, Brodie, GT, Rocky Mountain. | | Bike Setup: | The bike came with what appeared to be a good basic setup. The FS Comp came complete with an XT deraileur, and 9 speed LX shifters. The Rock Shock fork is OK, but a little weak for biger riders. It now has XT deraileurs/shifters/chain with an LX Hollowtech crank and bottom bracket. The rear wheel is a Rhino Lite with an XT hub (a great wheel combination for big riders. 5 chilis for the wheel). The brakes were replaced with Avid SD VBrakes and levers. | | Bottom Line: | The FS Comp seems more suited to being a cross country bike than a serious mountain bike. The bike was great on cross country rides, but when I tried the bike on a some difficult trails, but I found the traditional geometry of the Specialized didn't work well especially on steeper hills. The stock brakes were poor, and the Rock Shock was a little weak. Rather than spending a small fortune to upgrade this bike to disks and a better fork, I decided to buy a Brodie Evolution for my mountain bike needs, and relegate this bike to a commuter/touring bike. The freeride geometry of the Brodie is much better for mountain biking than the Specialized. The Brodie has more clearance and is a lot better for climbing than this bike. The Brodie was twice the price of the Specialized new, but if I add up everything I had to replace, the Specialized cost me almost as much. The original Specialized rear hub self destructed after ~1.5 years of use, and it was replaced with an XT hub (which is still going strong). I have had to replace several other stock components like the cranks, bottom bracket, seat, seat post, stem, V-brakes and levers. The bike now has Avid SD brakes which are almost as good as the disk brakes on the Brodie (4 chilis for the brakes). I replaced the cranks with a Shimano crank set. The LX Hollowtech crankset performs better than the original Specialized cranks. Now that I have swapped out a lot of the stock components, it is a great bike. The Richie Nitanium frame is very comfortable, and was the number one reason I bought this bike (5 chilis for the frame). It is good for riding long distances, and using as a commuter bike every day.
This bike may seem like a bargain at first compared to other bikes, but be prepared to replace the cheaper components if you use it a lot. My Brodie takes a lot more abuse than this bike, but after 4 years of use it still had most of the factory components (It's time to replace the fork now). I don't think the geometry is well suited for serious mountain biking, but it does make a reasonable cross country bike or a great commuter bike. It is a bit heavy for touring and long distance rides, but it is still comfortable after being in the saddle for 5+ hours. (It is still light enough that I use it when I ride with the roadies in the bike club). It rides better than the Cannondale I had before I bought this, but unfortunately, I don't think they are offering the Richie Nitanium frames anymore. This is my principle riding bike. I ride it for ~8 months of the year, and I have over 12,000 Km's on this bike. I expect the frame will outlast me.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Keffan
a Weekend Warrior
from England
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | All of them | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | ? | | Strengths: | Good all round bike i've done a bit of every thing on this bike. i learnt to jump 6 foot and drop 10 foot on this bike | | Weaknesses: | Forks can't take downhill and the rim died in 3 months. Made in to a 9 speed. Hated the stem | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | specialized frame 24/7 bar stem combo flat pedals magura/disc mammoths muddy fox seat ddg m2 chaindevice | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for someone between XC DH freeride jumps street | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Blair Toland
a Downhiller
from Somerville Ma
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Lynn woods | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | international bike | | Strengths: | inexpensive, durable frame, good looking with nice geometery | | Weaknesses: | Poor components off the shelf, Cheap rims die quickly, seatposts and seats break soon as well, Frame did finally crack on my lower chainstays infront of the small crosspiece, but only after two years of a 200lb guy abusing it. Lifetime frame warrenty should cover it. | | Similar Products Used: | none, this is my only mountain bike | | Bike Setup: | Z2 alloy fork with heavy springs, Xt rd derailler, brakes, Lx crank and front derailler, Bontrager rims with Xt hubs, easton riser bars and post, SDG ti seat, Shimano m646 pedals OURY grips, avid 2.0 shifters | | Bottom Line: | Great entry level hardtail frame just negotiate for some good components, it will save you time, money and headaches. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
neil
a Racer
from pasadena,ca
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | balanced frame, durable, awesome color scheme (matte blue w/ gold lettering) | | Weaknesses: | frame is on the heavy side | | Bike Setup: | sun/ringle wheels, thompson post,s-works bar,full xt, hollowtech crank, sram 1/2 pipes | | Bottom Line: | i have the matte blue/gold lettering frame- best looking mtb frame specialized ever made! i always get compliments. it came with a rockshox elastomer fork and full stx. i was very happy with it and gave it NO maintenence in over 4 years- loved it. i am starting xc racing and upgraded everything. the frame, i love and kept on. over 4 years and still going strong- have to give it 5 flamers for value! it performs and is very inexpensive, a very rare combination! not sure how many people have the matte blue, i have never come across another one. i think i got it around 1995-6. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BenT
a Cross Country Rider
from Georgia
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Yellow River | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | right here | | Strengths: | Great frame, cool color(mine is a really great looking silver) | | Weaknesses: | The fork will need to be upgraded | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first good moutnain bike | | Bike Setup: | LX/Mavarick front Ritchey OCR rear. XT shifter and rear derailluer. Avid 2.0 levers and brakes. Selle Flite Ti and Hutchinson Mosquito 1.85 on front and Python 2.0 on rear. Specialized Son of Stron Arm Crank and Specialized Ti pedals. Specialized stem and Ritchey Pro flat bar. Manitou Pro fork. | | Bottom Line: | Great performer. Good bike for the money. Some parts wil need to go. All STX will go and a new fork will be in order. But if you are like me making your bike look the best is fun and replacing parts will not be a hassle.
Oh yeah, always make sure that your wheels are secured tightly to you roof rack. This is why my wheels do not match. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KC
a Weekend Warrior
from Boissevain,MB, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | kaos | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | -good solid frame, but super light too.
-descent quality of parts. | | Weaknesses: | -manitou fork sucked.
-brakes are getting worse. | | Similar Products Used: | giant atx880
diamondback asecnt | | Bike Setup: | -dual crown judy xl
-axiom riser bars
-deore cranks
-ring god bash guard
-massive flat pedals | | Bottom Line: | This bike has treated me great, but I've had to put alot of parts into it to make it work for me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam Davidson
a Cross Country Rider
from Chelmsford
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Garrison Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Very strong frame, good paint job, good r. derr. , ok parts (minus front derr. and crank) | | Weaknesses: | really crappy crank, bad front derr., bad fork, ( mine seized after 3 months) | | Similar Products Used: | trek 6500, fisher tassajara, gt zaskar | | Bike Setup: | XT rear derr., XT front derr., XT brakes, XT brake lever/shifter cluster, XT cassette. XT BB, Club Roost Go Fast riser, Yeti lock on grips, Thompson elite post, Shimano 636 platform spd's, salsa brake reinforcer on rear brake, XT crank and rings, Specialuzed stem, Ritchey logic headset, Manitou pro fork, XT hubs, Sun Rhynolite rims, Specialized team tires 2.1 fr. 1.95 r.
| | Bottom Line: | This bike is great, and is a sentimental toy | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Tewes
a Cross Country Rider
from Georgia
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | The Recycler | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Great frame
Asome brakes, the Avid's rock
XT rear derailer | | Weaknesses: | I would like to see this bike come with a better fork.
| | Bike Setup: | Manitou Pro
XT/STX
Ritchey wheels
Avid 2.0 levers and brakes
Ritchey Forcelite
Shimano Rapidfire Shifters | | Bottom Line: | I think this is an awsome bike for the money, I got mine for 450 two years after it came out. If you got the Diacomp setup go for the upgrade and get Avids. They are only like 80.00 for the levers and brakes and they are so worth it. Also it is important to get good deraillers.
Great product Specialized
Five Chillis | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bigpappa sloth
a Weekend Warrior
from okc, ok usa
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | argh | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | light for cro-mo, very stiff, tough as nails frame that can take a beating | | Weaknesses: | why the hell did i buy a frame with a 1" steerer tube, burgandy color is ugly | | Similar Products Used: | trek 4500, and trek 6000 | | Bike Setup: | lx-xt, rs quadra 21 R, ritchey pedals, | | Bottom Line: | dia compe brakes suck (swapped to xt..much much better), haven't had any real problems with the bike except its a pain in the ass replacing the headset, rs fork flexes alot (being replaced by a marzocchi z-4) nice responsive, lightweight bike for the weekend warrior, frame can take a hell of alot abuse, bike is for sale on e-bay | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam Davidson Davidson
a Weekend Warrior
from Chelmsford,MA,USA
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Various ones in GBF state park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Great tough frame, very well reinforced. Handles very well,
good looking bike, nice choice of parts. It's light, nice fork, all around high quality | | Weaknesses: | Could improve on crank quality,better warantee | | Similar Products Used: | trek 6500, trek 8000 | | Bike Setup: | manitou pro fork, bontrager bar ends,shimano XT crank, and the rest whatever it came with | | Bottom Line: | I REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY LOVE THIS BIKE!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pink Floyd
a Cross-Country Rider
from banff, Alberta
Date Reviewed: August 11, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
nordic center | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
very smooth, nice handling. | | Weaknesses: |
nothing except the front derailler which is STR and i'll probably change. | | Similar Products Used: |
kona's and iron horse | | Bike Setup: |
specialized comp FS whith rockshox indy XC | | Bottom Line: | great bike for not a lot of money. great handling. it's not too heavy and not too light.
GREAT BIKE!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dan
a Cross-Country Rider
from edmonds, wa
Date Reviewed: August 3, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
light, responsive, maneuverable | | Weaknesses: |
brakes | | Similar Products Used: |
raleigh | | Bike Setup: |
rockhopper, manitou spyder R | | Bottom Line: | THIS BIKE ROCKS!! i love how the bike responds to my every command! it took me a little while to get used to the stiffness of the bike, but its causes the bike to feel directly connected to the rider. once u get the spyders dialed in they work perfectly. the only thing wrong w/ the bike are its brakes: here's what u do, switch the HANDLES w/ avid 1.0s (or 2.0s) u can switch the brakes if u want, but it isnt nessacary. these avids are MUCH more stiff and firm, giving u more confident braking. w/ those i give the bike | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from Leesburg, VA
Date Reviewed: August 2, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Fountain Head | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Durable, easy to handle! | | Weaknesses: |
None | | Similar Products Used: |
Trek 8000 | | Bike Setup: |
Specialized FS A1 Comp, Manitou Spyder R, Rok Shox seat post. | | Bottom Line: | For the money, you can't beat it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Monty Truitt
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, Texas
Date Reviewed: June 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Porcupine Rim | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Very responsive, light, very well equipped for the price. | | Weaknesses: |
the brakes seem a little mushy. they could be a little more responsive. | | Similar Products Used: |
Giant, Cannondale | | Bike Setup: |
the standard set-up with the Manitou Spyder shocks, dia-comp brakes, ritchey wheels and handlebark, FX derailers and rapid fire shifters. | | Bottom Line: | A fantastic ride especially for the price. In my opinion to get minor increases in performance over this bike will require major increases in money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scooby
a weekend warrior
from Cherry Hill, NJ
Date Reviewed: February 23, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the Rockhopper A1 Comp. Its a great bike for the money. It handles well and responds to my demands. It is also stiff as hell. My b*lls are killing me. Jersey and PA have lots of roots, rocks and sand. I know I need suspension, but can't decide what to put on this bike. Email me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luke Griffin
a cross-country rider
from England
Date Reviewed: February 13, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
A very good bike for its price.Only one thing to complain about the bike is the shit suspension.The fu*king suspension keeps topping out and it fu*ks me off.Another thing which really pisses me off is the fu*kimg shit brakes which DIA compe.For this I will have to buy my mates XTRs Vs.Otherwise the bike is great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Johnny
a cross-country rider
from sweden
Date Reviewed: January 24, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I had I rockhopper for many years and I think you will to
idon`t have any problem whit it .
It`s not so havy but it`s not so light either.BYE MTB tritskjjntk | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
hoser
a weekend warrior
from Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: January 6, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
An alright bike for the price. You get a good race-worthy rig for just over $1000. But I don't race, I use this thing for trials. So far the frame has held up to the drop offs and endless hopping and what not (bought in October). The Diacompe brakes aren't that great. The levers got sticky when squeezed, the arms got sticky too. The tension adjusters (on the brakes not the levers) don't work properly, it's either really tight or really loose and no in-between. Also the seatstays flex a lot so you might want a brake booster. I've had some crank problems, shifting was good, but while climbing up steep hills on the granny ring, the chain would catch on to the middle ring, and lodge itself between the chainstay and the ring, while chipping away at the paint. Now there are some nice big chips there. The seatpost could be better. When I went over a log on my saddle, it would loosen and pop out of the clamp with a big popping sound. Nothing big, just very annoying to screw the allen bolt back in. But now I don't do anything anymore sitting except riding from set of obstacles A to set of obstacles B so it's okay.Otherwise... The XT rear derailleur is very nice, no problems with it. This bike is very fast on the uphills. The stiff, lightweight aluminum frame makes for a wicked climber. I've never ridden long travel suspension forks, but the Manitou Spyder R's handle the job quite well on fast rock-filled descents. The whole frame isn't that rattley, but it can be overcome with skill. I don't know much about bike geometry but it feels great to ride.Great frame, bad brakes, bad crank.A set of four decapitated columbus monkeys cleansing themselves thoroughly with fire for my `98 14 Rockhopper comp FS A1!Stop reviewing, just ride!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a weekend warrior
from Baltimore MD
Date Reviewed: December 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My first real mountain bike. Have owned it for the past three months and over all very pleased with the ride and performance. (much better than the fuji cross trainer I used to ride. Big CON-the 767 Dia-Compe's suck, suck, suck, suck, suck..... They stick, they fall apart while you ride and worst of all even wen they are working they dont stop the bike. Hell my cantees work better than these. Also the STX front derailleur has recently given me problems. So far so good but got to get rid of those brakes. Minus 2 for the brakes | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete
a weekend warrior
from Denver CO
Date Reviewed: November 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought my rockhopper comp fs in April98.Generally really pleased with it apart from the 767 brakes which are difficult to adjust(I managed to break the rear but was replaced under warranty)and tend to be a little sticky unless kept clean and lubed.The seat was horrible and will cause impotence!I got rid of that and got something a bit more anatomically accurate.I use it for a 16-mile round trip commute and some intermediate off-road at weekends.Overall It's a great bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Rocha
a weekend warrior
from NH
Date Reviewed: November 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my Rochhopper Comp FS (not A1) about a year ago and I love it. It is an excellent bike for the money. I've had a few probs with the 767 brakes, but they are still doin their job. Everything has held up very well on the trails, no probs exept for the brakes and levers which fill up with crap and barey work. Hope to upgrad the brakes and shocks in the future but there doin good for now. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Loren
a cross-country rider
from Berkeley, California
Date Reviewed: November 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my 98 Rockhopper Comp FS (steel) for one year.
In my opinion, this is the best bike with a retail price
under one grand if you upgrade the shifters and front derailer to XT.
This bike has the perfect geometry for my riding style.
The handling is fairly quick, but not all over the place.
The Nitanium framing is forgiving and fairly light for steel.
I've put some dents in the frame, the biggest one the size of a dime,
which have caused no problems.
Overall, the components are very good for the price. But there
are two exceptions: the STX shifters and front derailer. The shifters
are terrible and my derailer preformed badly until it broke.
Also the Ritchey clipless pedals preform terribly compared to Shimano's.
They are hard to clip into which is a pain on technical singletrack.
The fork is excellent for the under $200, non-adjustable damping categorie.
It is a hell of a lot better than, say, and Indy XC. But, I would like to
upgrade it eventually to something like an SX Ti.Overall four stars. With XT shifters and front derailer and Shimano pedals,
it would get five stars because of the good price. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fuzzy ferret
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: September 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I feel I should address a misconception from Brent about the Rockhopper A1 frame. Yes, the A1 material is used in the Hardrock line, but it isn't the same frame. As improvements were made to the original chassis, they trickled down the original frame. As a matter of fact, the hardrock A1 FS Comp only seems like a Hardrock by name. It's actually closer in spec to a Rockhopper, but more affordable. (Compared to previous years.) The 98 Rockhopper A1 frame is butted and lighter. It started out as a high end Rockhopper and eventually trickled down the line. If you look at the history of Specialized products, this is not the first time they've used ideas from previous years and moved it down the line. All this means is that the Hardrock has one heck of a frame. Not the othre way around. The 98 frame is not the same as the 95-97 frames, and I'm sure there'll be more changes for 99, moving their way through the line. I do however agree with the sizing issue. I regret that they dropped the 18. Good thing they kept it for the Stumpjumper line. Also, the brakes aren't fantastic and do require kind of a magic touch to dial in. However, it ain't no Stumpjumper in price, so I guess it's a bit much to ask for a Stumpjumper spec. You get what you pay for. Same goes for the rims. They certainly aren't Mavics, but rims are pretty finicky by nature. Some go bad and some don't.
It sounds to me like your crank needs to be taken apart and re-torqued. I would avoid lubing the spindle, as they have a nasty habit of rejecting it like a bad transplant. The rest is relegated to personal taste.From all of my buddies who ride one, it seems to shine pretty good. But it's not perfect.Loses a star for the sizing and crank. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Carroll
a weekend warrior
from MT, USA
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike has a nice frame, but they gip you for components. The XT derailleeur isn't bad, but the fork could use a little upgrading. The Manitou is nice, yes, but it does not perform as well as I would like it to. My dealer was not very good about assembling the bike. The brakes were installed bad and they squeaked, and I almost had a crash on my test ride because they didn't work. The dealer is low-caliber, but, as I said before, the frame is good. However, If I had a choice I would go with a hand-welded frame, rather than the robot-welded. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RockJock
a weekend warrior
from USA
Date Reviewed: September 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just purchased the A1 and so far I like it, however I have had some similar issues that others have had also. I could take or leave the Manitou front suspension, I lost one of the caps on the first ride out. The brakes seem a little, well, cheap, but work for what I use them for. Generally, I have beat the crap out of it so far, and it seems to have held up, looking to upgrade front fork from the manitou to something better, and the shifters to at least LX from the STX. I give it 4 chilis! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brent
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: August 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Got my '98 A1 Comp FS in May to replace my rigid '92 Cannondale. I have exposed it to a number of different trail conditions and after three months, I'm not too impressed. The main reason I bought it was because I liked the component package for the money ($859 on sale). The Manitou Spyder R was particularly appealing compared to the cheapo Indy shocks that dominate this price bracket. The problem is that the components turned out to be mediocre and the overall feel of the bike is a little sluggish. Here is a list of pros and cons:Pros:The Spyder R shock, though it can't compete with the high end shocks, kicks butt for its price rangeXT rear derailleur...Ritchey Forcelite bar...strong and fairly lightPro-Long saddle isn't bad and the Ritchey seatpost is fairly light and has withstood all the abuse I could give itRitchey Logic pedals are light and work well (except in heavy mud)STX-RC shifters are cheap, I know, but they have performed wellFinally, the color is attractive (black with orange lettering which matches the Manitou fork)
Cons:Limited sizing...the two closest to what I needed were the 17 and 19, I got the 19, but I really could've used an 18The Ritchey comp rims have been nothing but trouble...it seems like the slightest bump knocks them out of trueThe Dia Compe 767 brakes are supposed to be comparable to XT, but I don't like them at all...too soft, and the rear one, despite attempts by myself and my LBS feels particularly squishy...the matching Dia Compe levers suck tooThe Specialized cranks creak quite a bitTires are OK, but suck miserably in the mudFinally, this bike is missing the quick feel of my Cannondale...it corners OK, but the rear tire tends to break loose on climbs that were no problem for the C'dale (have tried various tires)
To me, the cons seem a little more serious than the pros. One thing I noticed that sort of annoyed me is that Specialized uses the same exact frame on their $430 Hardrock bike...this speaks to the quality of the frame. Anyway, I have decided to sell it and order a Klein Attitude Comp...not many cons there (except the price)! If I were looking in this price range, I would check into a bike that sinks a little more value into the frame...like maybe the Gary Fisher Big Sur or the Klein Pulse Comp...or perhaps bump up to the Stumpjumper line.Two and a half chillies. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jordan
a weekend warrior
from Ny
Date Reviewed: August 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is my first true mountain bike and I love it. I gave up my Great:) HUFFY that I owned for ten years; I still use it though to cruise around the neaiborhood since my clipless pedals are a pain to wear around. I slapped a USE XCR seatpost on there to soak up some of the bumbs that the stiff Aluminium frame give you. I have had the bike for almost a year and it is great, low mainanence and nothing has gone wrong so far, I just need to get rid of the Quadra 5. 5 Red Hot chilies for you. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phat Vu
a weekend warrior
from Long Beach Calif
Date Reviewed: August 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've recently bought a 98 Specialized A1 Comp F/S from a local shop. The base price was discounted to under $690. I immediately used the saving to upgrade the Manitou Shock for a fully adjustable damping type. I've taken the bike out at least twice weekly since. As a beginner go MTB, I've have a lot of crashes and the bike withstood all of the harsh punishment. If having another chance, I would get the full XT Shimano derailllers setup (front and rear) plus the shifters as well. The front STR-RC front derailller was a little balky and required some initial adjustment. The DiaCompe V-Brakes worked great. This is definitely a choice for someone seeking a medium priced MTB. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rommel Ryan
a weekend warrior
from Corvallis, OR
Date Reviewed: August 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a 98 Rockhopper Comp FS (not A1 Comp FS) and can say that it's quite an awesome bike for the $600 range. The new Ritchey Nitanium frame feels great on the trails, it absorbs like you wouldn't believe. Ever since I bought the bike I've been wanting to go attack the trails everyday. The main problem I have with this bike are the Dia Comp 767 brakes. My girlfriend has a 98 Gary Fisher Big Sur that are equipped with Avid 1.0's and the performance of the Dia Comp's on the my Rockhopper don't even come close to the performance of the Avid's. I'm also thinking of changing the seat because it's a groin buster. The Manitou Pro shocks are great for now but I'll most likely upgrade down the road. Other than that this bike rocks!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a racer
from Ontario
Date Reviewed: August 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i race crossountry, and my 97 rockhopper loves it.
the only complaint i have is the shock that it came with was an old quad 5, i still have it on there, but if you load the grease on the elastomer 1 time a month it works okay... the frame is ultra stiff, not as good as the M2 though, for the 700$ canadian i paid it's amazing, in a little under 5 months i have put 4000 km on it, and raced it half a dozen times. Nothing has broken, but i have a feeling my stx front derailuer is on the way out!
happy trails
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a weekend warrior
from New Brunswick, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Very nice! My Specialized Rockhopper A1 comp FS is a pig! (pig=good) Val has stood up to everything I can throw at her and has asked for more on repeated occasions! Nothing has gone wrong since I've had her and nothing is worn out that bad. She's ridin full STX components and everything else is Specialized. She's got Quad 5 suspension (yeah, I know) and it still holds up VERY well. Overall, 5 CHILLIS! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
magoo
a weekend warrior
from michigan
Date Reviewed: July 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been exceptionally pleased with the quality of my steed the whole time I have owned it. I have a '94 that still as faithful and dependable as it was the day I brought it home. Of course it is not as pretty as it was that particular day I got it; but, at least I know I can go somewhere and get back without carrying it out. (This is also because it has been taken care of.. lubed, cleaned.. etc on a regular basis. It all helps.) For the price and quality, I recommend it greatly. SIDE NOTE: The steed is getting tired though. The many miles under her have taken its toll. So SANTA, this Christmas I would like a Stumpjumper, please. LMAO | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Crauss
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently purchased the Rockhopper A1 comp FS. I absolutely love this bike. THe shock just rips mountains apart, and I love the components. I admit that the components aren't XTR, but for the money theis bike is the bomb. I'm a beginning racer and I have a strong belief that the Rockhopper is extremely well-suited for my tasks. I can upgrade the components gradually, but I think I'll just wait until one of the components break. This Bike kicks some major ASS!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from England
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Rob from New Zealand, surely your Specialized dealer sorted out your bike's problems under warrenty? If they didn't, complian loudly. I work for a Specialised dealership and we think their bikesare great. Not only that the service back-up is top notch too. I'm about to purchase one of the Ground Controls - one of the most sorted and fun bikes for the money.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
muds
a weekend warrior
from Kamloops, British Columbia
Date Reviewed: June 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
97 Rockhopper Comp FS, yikes! my old department store bike stood up better
that this POS. replacing components is becoming a hobby, I dropped a note
to Specialized about my misadventures, which was met with stunned silence,
I guess they were out riding (some other product?) The bike handles well,
climbs, yada, yada, yada, but replacing parts on a yearling, SUCKS... I give
the bike 3 of those things (steaming crap piles?) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
··· vol ···
a weekend warrior
from Pittsburgh, pa
Date Reviewed: May 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Rockhopper A1 comp FS is a great bike for the money. I paid just over $700 for my 98. I love the Manitou Spyder that it comes with. Bar ends and different levers would be nice though. This bike is very solid and tight. I have had only very minor problems with it so far (broken overshift guard and one of the caps for the Manitou is MIA, if you call these things problems). Next will be either a Stumpjumper or a Cannondale CAD2 f-(undecided), but I would still highly recommend this bike to anyone looking for a good tight bike that is reasonably priced.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a cross-country rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: May 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Not Happy!!!!
I bought my specialized comp fs about 6 months, since then I have had no end of problems. Maybe I got a lemon but so far the following has gone wrong:
1)The seat frame collapsed (chromo)
2) Front and rear cluster (sugano 3s) have bent I have replaced with XT (much better but im sick of forking out $$$$)
3) Front derailer (STX RC) stuffed up (replaced with XT)
4) and now my crank is playing up big time!! I replaced the bottom bracket with XTR and this didn't fix it. I think the crank is the problem. Every hour or so it unscrews. I got the screw lock tighted but still no joy. I am tossing up getting some XTR cranks and being done with it. Any way I have almost spent the price of the bike on components fixing up the crap that was provided Specialized what are you thinking?????Rob
| Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kit Chang
a weekend warrior
from New York
Date Reviewed: May 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my Nitainium Comp FS in November, and have been doing winter riding since. It cost me 720 before tax. I pushed my budget a bit, but it was well worth it! The colors are great too. A black Manitou Mach 5 pro, and a warm silver frame. I'm glad I got this hardtail instead of a comperable dual suspension bike in the price range. It comes with great parts. STX RC shifters and front derailleur, and XT rears. The breaks are diacompe 767's which in a recent Mountain Bike Action rated them comperable to Shimano XT's. GREAT! It even comes with Ritchey logic clipless. The Nitanium is great. It's lighter than cromoly, almost as light as aluminum, and feels good on the trail. My only suggestion is to add on some bar ends, and change the saddle for an WTB SSTK. The original saddle is somewhat uncomfortable. I love this bike!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MoJo
a weekend warrior
from Aurora, CO
Date Reviewed: May 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Great bike for the price, replaced toe cages with clipless, took some gettin' used to. So far I've put this bike to the test and its held up better than friends' bikes who paid twice the ducks for thiers. the stock components leave room for upgrading but that's part of the fun. I would recommend this bike for anyone who's a fairly aggressive rider. I'd give four peppers overall. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kung Fool
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: April 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my 98 A1 Comp FS for about 6 weeks and it seems to be a reasonably good bike for the money. The only dislikes I really have about it are the brakes.
The Dia Comps seem very finicky to adjust although they stop me suprisingly well
Levers are a bit stiff, I will change them to Avids soon but leave the Dia Comp V's on there for now as the stopping power seems adequate for my needa at the moment. Overall I payed 1300$ Canadian for mine and component wise there was only the Gary Fisher Big Sur that matched. That was a very nice bike too, better brakes, but not so good fork so they were about even component wise. I went Specialised because I prefered the colour, and also I got 40% off all my accessories to boot. As this is my first bike, 40% amounted to alot with helmet, shoes etc etc etc.
Overall It takes a pretty good beating in the hills and I beat it hard on jumps etc. For a first bike at 1300$ range I'd reccomend it.
All I plan to upgrade are the brake levers to Avids, and get a Moxey or Thudbuster suspension post. Next year I'll go with the Stumjumper as it's quite a bit lighter and a real good price for the XTR components on it.
This is a good bike for the beginning rider for either on or off road.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brett
a weekend warrior
from minnesota
Date Reviewed: April 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently bought my '98 Rockhopper Comp FS because I needed a bike that was reasonably priced, high quality, durable, and fun to ride. After riding several other manufacturer's bike during the past year I decided that Gary Fisher and Specialized fit my 6', 170# frame the best. I chose the Specialized for unknown reasons (maybe because I liked the price and I didn't like the Rock Shox Indy C) but I'm happy with my purchase.By the way, I use my bike for commuting (8 miles mostly pavement) and mountain biking. It is an excellent ride. The only thing I'd change about the bike is the front fork. A Rock Shox Judy or an upper end Manitou would be better than the Manitou Pro. However, after using a rigid fork for so long, anything is a welcome change. One more thing, the manufacturer should add bar ends. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
L.F. Bartolo
a weekend warrior
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: April 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought a '98 AI Comp FS, 'cuz it was on sale. I've only ridden it around the block so far, and it held up well. The seat is waaaaaay too skinney for my fat ass, so I've ordered a new seat more appropriate for horizontally-challenged individuals, plus a Thudbuster Quadra-link seatpost (chosen due to reviews I've read here. Thanks.) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Me
a weekend warrior
from Northern California
Date Reviewed: April 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My first bike in many, many years. I upgraded the front and rear deraillers to LX and XT, threw on some Ritchey Logic clipless, and am looking for a new seat that won't kill my prostrate. Other than that, it is a killer bike for me. I have a '98 A1 FS, and ride mainly on paved bike paths and light trails. I bought the bike a little on the big side (a 21 inch frame) as the 19 was too small for me (wish they made a 20 inch frame--20's are tough to find and perfect for 6 footers someone with long arms and legs like me). I give the bike 4 red hots-- | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
roberto
a weekend warrior
from cleveland, OH
Date Reviewed: April 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i bought my rockhopper new 3 years ago and have beat the piss out of it. it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. i have replaced EVERYTHING on it except the seat tube and the front derailleur. good, light, ready to take any abuse i hand out to it. this is an every day biker's bike. i agree with the guy who gave it 4 chili's for lack of better components. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
V][RTU()S()
a weekend warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: April 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike rules.......(exept for the rear braking)....I purchased the Specialized Rock Hopper Comp 2 weeks ago.....Thou the components could be a little better for the price of the bike (goose neck :( ......) The bike handles very well in the snow and I can't wait to test it out on the dirt....... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Phipps
a cross-country rider
from San Antonio
Date Reviewed: March 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I would like to say that I like my 97' Rockhopper Comp FS very well. Out of
the box it is a great performer. I am very pleased with the Indy SL's that came on the bike. They look real trick when you strip the paint and polish
them. I was a little displeased to see that the quality of the components on the 98' model were a lot
better though. I guess that's progress for you. I have already upgraded my
to my satsfaction though, and have no problem smokin the Mega-dollar bikes
out on the trails. Great bike for the buck. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
zen mtb
a weekend warrior
from chicago il
Date Reviewed: February 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i have been riding my the aluminum rochhopper for 3 years now and it rocks. some of the components sucked but that is no big thing just replace them when they go bad. i tend to ride my bike past my limits and therefore i crash plenty. despite all these crashes my frame has held up like a champion. thankx specialized.4 stars for the frame
lost 1 star for some of the components | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Adams
a cross-country rider
from Quartzsite, AZ
Date Reviewed: January 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is one of the best bikes for the money. I have had no problems whatsoever. It came
with a Indy XC, LX/STX deraillers and LX rapidfire and V brakes. I have fallen in love with
the specialized cranks too. The bike is light for chromolly and climbs really well. Plus it
handles beautifully under speed. The steering is acute and sharp. And for the $699 I paid for
it I have no complaints. I would highly recomend this bike to a beginner to intermediate
abilities, but with low income like myself.
| | Overall Rating: |
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